Shimmer Tail
by EpicSmiley12
Summary: One day at the beach, Jeanette finds a mysterious comb. Also, she has a strange vision... Join Jeanette as new friends are met, new enemies are made, and the past is revealed. This is based on the cartoon. Please R&R
1. Chapter 1

**Howdy folks! I think it's time to have an underwater adventure featuring: JEANETTE!**

**I've read stories about Jeanette being afraid of water. I'm doing the opposite of that. There aren't enough mermaid stories in here, so I'm making one. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in here except Carla, the mermaids, and the story plot.**

Night fell upon the quiet bay gradually. The sky diminished its burning sunset to a rich mauve, and the calm sea turned an inky black. A gentle breeze rolled over the horizon, rippling the water's surface and whistling through the mountainside. Serenity seemed to manifest everywhere. A long distance out to sea, a whale breached the water for a breath of air before returning to its wet abode.

The white, sandy beach was uninhabited, save for a few scuttling hermit crabs. The wind gave the sand a rippled affect, creating layer-like crevices. The whistling wind grew louder. Intermingled with the wind was another sound. It was soft, yet perfectly distinguishable. The tune sounded almost unearthly, the way it was so haunting. The lovely pitch was enchanting, making one want to laugh and cry and scream at the same time. Yet it also had a pulling effect, almost like a magnet. A couple of the hermit crabs moved toward the ocean. The waves rolled up greatly, and sucked the crustaceans into the sea. Out further, gigantic waves swelled and burst over one another. In the hazy fog that now enveloped the bay, several tails flicked just above the water.

o0o

Jeanette was sitting on a hill near the beach. She wore a one-piece bathing suit, colored purple with a ruffled hem. Her deep green eyes were magnified by her round, purple glasses. She stared out into the ocean, watching the waves roll in. She sighed, calmed by the serenity of the ocean. This side of the bay was not regularly visited by other pedestrians, and this was one of those wonderful times when she and her friends could have the beach all to themselves.

The ocean gently tossed its waves against the shore. Its hypnotic rhythm entranced Jeanette, and she soon found herself rocking back and forth in time with the beating waves. Suddenly, the waves grew stronger, pounding the sandy beach. The sky grew grey and cloud-infested. The water became murky, as if an inkwell full of dark green ink had been dumped into the sea. Wind whipped her hair and flung sand into her face. Mournful voices filled her ears, all of them joining in the same unnatural tune. Jeanette turned around, coming face-to-face with a woman, her face contorted with anger.

"Jeanette!"

Said Chipette blinked twice. She found facing her, instead of a scary witch, a familiar bespectacled chipmunk.

"Oh, hi Simon!" Simon was wearing blue swimming trunks, along with dark blue flip-flops. His grey eyes looked worried behind his glasses.

"Are you okay, Jeanette?"

"Oh, yeah, I-I'm fine."

Simon still looked a little worried, but he stood up anyway. Jeanette got up, too. She looked at the bay uncertainly, but there were no storm clouds, no dark water, no violent waves. Everything was just as calm as it had been before. If Simon had seen her anxious glance, he gave no notice. They walked down to the beach, where they met up with Alvin, Brittany, Theodore, Eleanor, and Carla, whose father managed the hotel they were staying in.

The beach scene was a cheery one: Brittany lounging in her beach chair, Theodore and Eleanor making a sand castle, Carla reading under an umbrella, and Alvin…well, Alvin was being Alvin. Simon suggested looking for shells, and Jeanette agreed. They waded into the water, splashing each other's feet and letting the waves roll over their ankles.

For quite a while they hunted for shells, and there was a humorous encounter with a hermit crab. Jeanette had been looking at a few sand dollars when Simon gave a loud yelp of surprise. Everyone looked over, even Brittany, to see Simon desperately trying to pry a hermit crab from his finger. They all had a good laugh, except Simon, who had to go back to the hotel to treat his wounded hand. Jeanette had asked to accompany him, but he promised he'd be right back.

While Simon was gone, Jeanette continued her search for shells. She found a small rock pool, inhabited only by a starfish and another hermit crab. She was about to look somewhere else, when something glittery caught her eye. She bent down, and while carefully avoiding the hermit crab, cleared away some of the rocks. She gasped at what she found.

There was a small comb stuck in the sand beneath the rocks. It was long and white, with five teeth, and pearls lining the sides. The handle sparkled with gold. Jeanette stared at it, wide eyed, for a full minute. Then she slowly reached out and touched the handle. Tingling warmth shot through her arm, and she withdrew her hand quickly. After a moment, she touched it again, this time grabbing it and enclosing it in her fist.

"What's that?"

Jeanette jumped, and turned to see Simon standing there. He held up his hands in mild surprise.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay. Here, look what I found!" She showed Simon the comb. His jaw dropped slightly, and Jeanette could've sworn his pupils got larger.

"I-It's beautiful," he whispered.

They continued to mull over the comb's origin. It couldn't possibly be a natural shell. Perhaps it had washed up on the beach a long time ago, or maybe someone had dropped it here. Simon smiled to himself when Jeanette's eyes lit up with the idea of it being an old heirloom from a shipwreck. He loved the way her eyes shone like that, even behind her glasses. At one point, Jeanette almost stepped on the hermit crab, and she grabbed Simon's arm for balance. He blushed at this touch; but why? He wondered.

Jeanette decided that the comb would be a secret between her and Simon only. That night, she put the comb beneath her pillow. With one final glance at the beautiful comb, she drifted off to sleep.

o0o

**Voila! The first chapter! It's kinda short, four pages, but I did try. You know I would like to get at least two reviews before putting up the next chapter. Reviews are motivating! **

**~Smiley :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The night was peaceful in the Chipettes' hotel room. Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette slept quietly, with the odd toss or turn. Moonlight shone through the window directly onto Jeanette's bed. Beneath her pillow, the comb began to shift. It slipped from under her head, as if it was being pulled by some magnetic force. The pearl-encrusted sides glowed in the moonlight. Though no-one was awake to see it, a fog of ocean spray materialized around the comb.

Jeanette's eyes flew open. Her normally shiny, violet irises were cloudy and dull. She sat up, and slipped out of bed soundlessly. She put her glasses on, but her eyes remained dull. With one hand, she reached out and grabbed the comb. Wind whipped her hair, but didn't touch anything else in the room. The comb glowed brighter, and, while still in her hand, began to move toward the door. Jeanette opened it slowly, and let the comb guide her outside.

o0o

Salty sea air filled Jeanette's nose as she stepped onto the beach. The water was calm, but one or two big waves did come up once or twice. She walked along the shore, the comb pulling her all the way. She was not fully conscious; she was awake, but had no control over her body.

Jeanette walked until she came to a small cove. The only entrance appeared to be a hole a little ways up the side. The comb glowed brighter than before, its light a pale sea green. Jeanette held the comb in her mouth, and then began to climb up the side of the rocky cove. At one point she slid back down, scraping her knee. She ignored the pain and proceeded more carefully; she mustn't lose the comb.

Eventually, Jeanette was able to clamber over the slippery rocks. Upon entering the cove, she found a beautiful lagoon, practically glowing with blue light. It was then that she came to her senses. Her eyes became the proper luster, and she spat the comb out. It was glowing immensely now, and for a split second it nearly blinded her, but the glowing quickly ceased. Jeanette examined the lagoon, and was quite confused on how she'd gotten there.

After her moment of contemplation, Jeanette decided that a little dip up to her ankles wouldn't hurt. And after seeing the beauty of the lagoon, she wasn't quite ready to go back to bed. So, she made her way to the water's edge and dipped her feet in. She sighed as the cool water swirled around her ankles. She lifted her nightgown slightly higher, and stepped in deeper. She quite enjoyed the refreshing feeling – until something's icy fingers wrapped around her right ankle.

Jeanette screamed, and the hand gripped her ankle tighter. She tried to kick it away, but it pulled hard, yanking her down into the water. Her glasses flew off her face and into a rock, the lenses shattering. Jeanette continued to kick and scream, but the hand was soon joined by another, and they both dragged her deeper into the lagoon. When she looked up, Jeanette could see a heart-shaped face staring back at her. The girl was clearly much older than her. Her hair was emerald green, and floated around in the water. Two pointy ears stuck out from behind the wet hair. Her bright green eyes glared piercingly at Jeanette.

The frightened Chipette was now being dragged out to sea, the girl's sharp green fingernails digging in to her ankles. What she hadn't noticed before was that the lagoon opened out to the sea on one side, allowing anything to come in it from the ocean. Jeanette's scraped knee stung from the salt water, but it was the least of her worries. The green-haired… CREATURE pulled Jeanette further and further out, until the salty water burned her eyes. She couldn't open her mouth to scream, because water would flow in and make her gag.

They were soon so far out that Jeanette could no longer see the rocky cove. The salt water on her face was joined by frightened tears now. The creature pulling her was sneering. With one final tug, she dragged Jeanette under.

Jeanette barely had time to take a breath. She kicked and thrashed even more, but my, this thing was strong. Her lungs screamed for air, and there was no way she could reach the surface. Her kicks grew weaker…she had to breathe…she was going to drown…with a terrible feeling of defeat, Jeanette let her breath go and took a gulp of water.

She was shocked when she didn't gag. Suddenly, a tingling feeling spread along her legs. Her lungs burned, and her legs glowed. She felt them start to expand, and her underwear ripped. Sparkles covered her lower half as her legs merged together. She gasped as purple scales began to grow where her skin had been. Her feet merged as well, and a big violet fin replaced them.

Jeanette looked up from staring at her new, shimmery tail to see those sharp, emerald eyes. She noticed that this girl also had a tail, but she wasn't a chipmunk. Her tail was, like her hair and eyes, a beautiful green. She seemed more elegant underwater, and seemed to carry a bigger air of importance. However, the water was slowly beginning to spin. Jeanette's sight, which was surprisingly good in the water now, became blurry again. A single bubble rose from her mouth as her head lolled back, and Jeanette became still in the water.


	3. Chapter 3

When Eleanor woke up, sunlight was streaming through the window. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. A look at Brittany's bed told her that her oldest sibling was still asleep. She looked over at Jeanette's bed – huh?

Eleanor shrugged. Perhaps Jeanette had already gotten up. She was a bit of an early riser. But her robe and slippers were still where she'd left them last night. She knew Jeanette wouldn't be walking around barefoot. Sure, it was a clean hotel, but…

Eleanor put on her slippers and walked to the bathroom door. She knocked.

"Jeanette? Are you in there?"

When she got no answer, Eleanor put on her robe and got one of the room keys. She grew even more alarmed when she saw that Jeanette's room key was still there, too. If she had gone out, she wouldn't be able to get back in. Eleanor took the other key as well, then left the room. She got on the elevator and went to the first floor.

The lobby was busy. People were checking in, checking out, and heading to the dining room for breakfast. Eleanor checked everywhere, but no Jeanette. Disgruntled, she went back to her room. She found an irritated Brittany waiting for her.

"Why'd you guys just ditch me like that? Where have you been?" she asked.

"I was looking for Jeanette. I don't suppose you've seen her…?"

Brittany's expression softened. After confirming that they both hadn't seen Jeanette since last night, they were officially quite worried. They both decided to go to Dave, but Brittany suggested they changed first. So, after changing, they walked over to Dave's room, Eleanor knocked on the door. On the second knock the door opened, revealing Dave. He was fully dressed, but his hair was still a bit messy. He looked surprised to see the girls.

"Good morning girls," he said. "Is everything okay?" Brittany and Eleanor looked at each other, then back to Dave.

"We can't find Jeanette. Has she been here?" Dave shook his head, and Eleanor explained how she had woken up to find Jeanette missing. When she told Dave about how Jeanette hadn't been downstairs at all, worry lines appeared on his brow.

"Well, let's get the boys. I'm sure she's still at the hotel somewhere."

Little did they know, Jeanette was further from the hotel than they could have imagined.

o0o

**Jeanette's POV**

I groaned and opened my eyes. My head was killing me. Every part of my body felt somewhat weighed down. My vision was surprisingly clear, though. Where was I? Wherever I was, it was cool…and wet. I sat up quickly, all the past events coming back to me. I wish I hadn't, because the sudden movement made my already throbbing head pound angrily.

I looked all around me. Water, water, everywhere. Everything looked wavy. I touched my face, hoping this was a dream. I blinked. I slapped my cheek. I pinched the back of my hand. No, this wasn't a dream. Where were my glasses? I wondered how I could see so well without them, and while I'm underwater at that. Speaking of which…how did I get here?

I turned around, taking in everything. I was in some sort of room, almost like a cave. The walls were craggy, most likely coral. But the beach we had been staying on didn't have a coral reef nearby. I was lying on…what was I lying on? It was soft. Looking down, I saw my shimmery purple tail and almost fainted again. It just wasn't possible. There's no way this could be real. I took a deep breath, and water rolled into my lungs. This was real.

"Oh, you're awake."

The sudden voice made me jump. I looked to the door and saw another mermaid with a bored expression. She'd spoken in a moody, monotonous drawl, but it had still surprised me. The mermaid had waist length, dark-blue hair, a dark blue sequined tube top, and a blue tail. She swam over, carrying shiny mirror. I could now see her face better. Her mouth was drawn in a thin line, like that of someone who was easily annoyed. Her eyes were blue too, but unlike Alvin and Brittany, her blue eyes contained no happy sparks. They reminded me of cold places.

The mermaid sat down next to me on – whatever we were sitting on. She sat very elegantly, her spine straight and her chest up. She looked me over disapprovingly.

"You really shouldn't slouch; it's bad for your back." She wrinkled her nose at my hair, which was floating around after falling from my bun.

"That's terrible. Marjorie really should let ME do the makeover."

I don't know if she intended me to hear her comment, but she had said it pretty loudly. I self-consciously touched my hair. I didn't think it looked THAT bad. And what makeover was she talking about? As I opened my mouth to reply, another mermaid swam through the door. This one had long pink hair, sparkly red eyes, a pink seashell bra, and a dark pink tail. She clapped her hands excitedly.

"Oh, there you two are!" she spoke in a light, bubbly voice. She looked at me, and her smile faded a little. But she covered it up. She cleared her throat, and said loudly:

"Marjorie will see you now, Jeanette."

o0o

Back on dry land, Dave had roused the boys from their sleep. He quickly explained the situation to them, and after everyone had changed, they went downstairs to look for Jeanette. In the lobby, they ran into Carla.

"Good morning, guys. Where are you off to in such a hurry?" she inquired.

"Well, we can't find Jeanette anywhere. Have you seen her?" Eleanor replied. Carla shook her head.

"Nope, sorry. I was up early this morning, taking my daily walk on the beach, but I didn't see anyone out there then. That was 6:00, three hours before now, so maybe she went out after I came back in. I'll help you look if you want."

Eleanor smiled gratefully at Carla.

"That would be a big help Carla, thanks!"

"Not a problem."

Everyone exited the hotel and headed for the beach.

o0o

Never in her life had Jeanette expected to have fins. They were awfully hard to use at first, but within a couple of minutes she was swimming as easily as if she had been part fish all her life. The pink-haired mermaid guided them out of the room into the ocean. Jeanette saw a million different types of fish and coral. She watched as several seahorses made their way through the sea. The pink-haired mermaid talked the whole time they were swimming.

"My name is Annalise, and this here his Ripple." she said, pointing at herself, then at the sulking mermaid beside her. Jeanette decided that she liked Annalise; she was really friendly. Ripple, on the other hand, seemed quite distant.

"This is Oceana, the city of water," Annalise continued on, speaking as if she was a tour guide. "Mermaids have lived here since the beginning, and have no intention to leave soon! However, this is not the only mer-people city there is. There are thousands, and few mortals are ever lucky enough to encounter one. I'd say you're pretty lucky, Jeanette," she winked at the Chipette.

"H-how do you know my name?" Jeanette asked.

"Marjorie sent me to bring you to her. I'm Her Highness's royal messenger," Annalise replied, puffing her chest out proudly. Ripple rolled her eyes.

"Please. She only sent you because Tania is off today."

Annalise deflated her chest, and her face showed a wounded look, as if her pride had taken a big hit. Jeanette decided that Ripple wasn't all that nice; in fact, Jeanette found her rather snooty. They continued on in silence. They reached a point where more and more mer-people could be seen going about their day. A couple mermen whistled at Annalise, who rolled her eyes, yet smiled at the same time. Two mer-children played and swam around a small seaweed patch. A few mermaids swam along, gossiping with each other.

All the while, Jeanette pondered her situation deeply. She had already proven that this wasn't a dream. She wondered who Marjorie was; Annalise had called her "Her Highness". Was she a queen? If so, what did she want from her? Jeanette was so deep in thought that she jumped when Annalise spoke again.

"Here we are: Oceana's Castle!"

Jeanette gazed in awe at the sight before her. A towering castle loomed over them. It appeared to be made of coral, and it sparkled with a shiny something that Jeanette couldn't identify. Hundreds of windows were carved into the castle's walls, and music played from somewhere inside.

"What do you think?" Annalise asked the awestruck Chipette.

"I-It's beautiful…"

"Well, come on, follow me!"

They swam into the castle through a door made from a giant clamshell. The interior was just as spectacular as the outside, if not better. The halls were adorned with amazing paintings, and statues occupied a few corners. Pillars held up the above floors; they were bright white, and smoothly carved. Jeanette was so entranced that she bumped into Ripple, who scowled at her. Jeanette gulped, and swam on.

Annalise led them to a big shell door, this one inscribed with the words "Throne Room" in curly, delicate writing. Annalise knocked on the door three times, and it swung open. Jeanette felt as if she had stepped into a medieval storybook.

The throne room absolutely shone with glittery bubbles and jewels. Seven seats created a half circle facing away from the door. The throne was adorned with gold, diamonds, pearls, and polished sapphires. The mermaid sitting on the throne, however, was a work of art all her own. She had a youthful, heart-shaped face that was perfectly framed by sparkling golden curls. Her eyes were a striking yellow, and her cheeks were the faintest rose. A pearl necklace fell over her shimmery golden top, and on her right ring finger she wore a golden ring with a shiny aquamarine. Her tail was yellow like a buttercup.

"Come in," Marjorie's voice had an enchanting, musical tone that made Jeanette's heart leap, as if her favorite singer was singing a song just for her. Hesitantly, she followed Annalise and Ripple inside the room, and she noticed the other mermaids sitting in the semicircle of chairs. They had hair, eyes, and tails in every color of the rainbow, and then some. Jeanette's eyes widened when she noticed a mermaid with an emerald green tail. She quickly looked back to the mermaid sitting delicately on the throne.

"Welcome, Jeanette," the mermaid said in that lovely musical tone. She smiled kindly at Jeanette. The Chipette grew anxious. This was probably Marjorie, the queen of Oceana. Jeanette wondered if she should bow. She lowered her head slightly.

"H-hello, your Majesty," she whispered nervously. Marjorie laughed a little, her voice tinkling like wind chimes.

"Don't be nervous, dear. I know you must be, what with just waking up here and all." Jeanette bit her lip and looked up.

"Please miss, is t-there a reason I was brought here?" she said, still felling a bit formal. Marjorie just smiled.

"You deserve an explanation. Come, we'll talk in the private room." Marjorie got up, and took Jeanette's hand. She gently led Jeanette through another door, and her golden tail seemed to throw glittery sparkles with every swish.

o0o

About half an hour had passed, and Jeanette's friends and family were growing desperate. They had gone out to the beach, calling the Chipette most of the time. They could not see her figure anywhere on the sandy stretch of land, but they scoured it all the same. The most unfortunate thing was, in fact, that Jeanette's footsteps from when she walked to the cove the previous night had all but disappeared. Had they still been visible, they would have led her friends straight to the cove.

After searching up and down the beach twice, Simon had still not yet given up hope. The beach was quite big, even though this was the hidden part. He was absolutely baffled at where his friend could have possibly gone. There really wasn't any place to go; Jeanette definitely wasn't one to run off without a friend, or without telling someone first. And a walk on the beach wouldn't take this long.

Simon sighed as he trudged through the sand. The events of yesterday played through his mind: shell hunting, the hermit crabs, the comb, how he blushed when Jeanette held on to him…Simon frowned. Why was it that he blushed at Jeanette's touch? Why did his heart flutter when she smiled at him? They had been friends for quite a long time, but did he really like her…like that?

Simon shook his head. He could think about his feelings later. Right now, he had to find Jeanette. The blue-clad chipmunk walked up the beach again and again, but there was still no sign of the brunette Chipette. Eventually Dave called him back inside. No-one ate much at breakfast, not even Theodore. After the meal they went out again. This time, everyone went into the little seaside town to search while Simon continued scouring the beach. As he stared into the waves, all he could think about was Jeanette and that beautiful golden comb.


	4. Chapter 4

The room Jeanette was led into was much smaller than the throne room, but just as luxurious. It had two cushioned chairs laced in sparkly gold. Marjorie sat down in one of them, and Jeanette in the other. Marjorie smiled softly at Jeanette.

"It began with your grandparents," Marjorie began in her soft, tinkling voice. "Your grandfather's name was Marten, and he fell in love with one very special Chipette. Her name was Madeline. He left the sea to be with her. As a result, your father was born, and then your mother gave birth to you and your sisters. As you can see, the mer-magic has passed into your blood, and was Awakened by the comb you discovered."

Marjorie paused and let Jeanette take this information in. After a while the mer-Chipette looked up at the mermaid.

"Does this mean my sisters are mermaids too?"

"Yes. However, you are the only one who has had her powers Awakened. And Marten's genes were passed down mostly into you, so your magic is much stronger than theirs. However, I fear life on land may be difficult now…" Marjorie trailed off, and looked away. Jeanette stared at her in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'difficult'?"

"Well…your grandfather had always needed plenty of water to keep his body stable on land. And merfolk have many dangers on land…pool water, for instance. It is a great poison to us like it is to fish. There is also the danger of dehydration. A mer-person going too long without water will eventually shrivel. It would be incredibly hard to avoid all these hazards and keep this a secret."  
>"Why keep it a secret?"<p>

"Child, many people in these times know nothing of the mer population. Scientists would hunt us throughout the sea, and nowhere would be safe. Our only protection is secrecy. If our magic were to fall into the wrong hands…" Marjorie trailed off again, biting her lip. Jeanette stared into her lap and thought about the words spoken to her. If all this were to be kept a secret, how could she live on land? She asked this of Marjorie, and the queen sighed.

"I'm afraid you can't live on land anymore, Jeanette."

o0o

Jeanette sat on a clamshell stool in front of a mirrored vanity. She stared straight ahead, and winced as Annalise ran a comb through her hair. The pink-haired mermaid tugged at Jeanette's brunette tangles with a look of determination. Jeanette finally spoke to her.

"Annalise…what am I going to do? Marjorie says I can't live on land anymore…"  
>"Oh, don't worry! Everything can be taken care of. You can live in a room with a beautiful view. The rays put on a wonderful show in the mornings!"<p>

"I-I'm sure they're very nice, but h-how will I see my family and friends?" Jeanette sniffled. "I-I'll never see Ms. Miller again, or Brittany and Eleanor, or Dave, or Alvin, or Theodore…or S-Simon…" Jeanette said the last part quietly. Though it wasn't visible underwater, she was weeping. Annalise stopped combing, and spun Jeanette around to face her.

"Ooh, who's Simon? He sounds like a love interest…" Jeanette blushed in spite of herself.

"No…he's my best f-friend…and now I w-won't get to see him, or anyone else again…" Jeanette began to sob into her hands. Annalise put the comb down and pulled Jeanette into a hug. Jeanette allowed herself to be comforted. Annalise rubbed Jeanette's back gently.

"I'm sure you can see them time to time, if they come back to the sea." Jeanette sniffed as she thought about this.

"Y-you remind me of my sisters…you're so bright and bubbly like Eleanor…and you're so fashionable, like Brittany." Jeanette gestured to the beautiful red scarf Annalise was wearing. It matched her tail, but didn't make it look like too much pink. Annalise smiled at this compliment, and unconsciously patted her hair.

"You really think so? Just wait 'till your makeover's done. You're gonna be STUNNING!"

o0o

"Aaand...look!"

Jeanette opened her eyes and gasped at the mermaid staring at her from the mirror. Her brunette hair was glossy and wavy, floating gently instead of her usual bun. A silken scarf adorned it, tying it out of her face. The smoky eye shadow made her green eyes pop. She pressed her hands together in delight.

"Oh, Annalise…I-I look AMAZING!" she exclaimed in an un-conceited way. Annalise beamed at her handiwork. Then she grabbed Jeanette's hand and led her to the door.

"Come on. You must be hungry, and dinner's about to start!"

o0o

Sherri glared into the crystal ball on her pedestal. It showed Jeanette being led to the dining hall by Annalise. Angrily, she swiped at a nearby shelf. Its contents fell to the sea floor, shattering and sending bits of goodness-knows-what everywhere.

"That good-for-nothing rodent!" she seethed, her sharp green eyes glinting. "She's going to pay for this. They'll all pay for what they did to me! And I'll start with _her_. But how…?" Sherri placed a hand on her hip and frowned deeply. "Drowning her didn't work. She had already been Awakened…but her sisters haven't." Sherri smiled evilly as she plotted her revenge.


	5. Chapter 5

Jeanette yawned and stretched out on the clamshell bed in her new room. She was waist-deep in thought about the day's events. Marjorie had told her at dinner that she would arrange for her sisters' and friends' memories to be altered, so that they would forget all about Jeanette. The mer-Chipette was aghast at this, so Marjorie had given her a choice. She could allow her friends and family to forget her, or she could have her mermaid powers taken away. The latter seemed like the best choice to Jeanette, but Marjorie warned her that this would cut all her ties to mermaids, meaning she would never see Annalise or Ripple or Marjorie ever again.

Still, Jeanette decided that this was the best choice. Though she would be sad at the thought of losing her new friends, a life without her old friends seemed simply unbearable. She thought back to Annalise's comment about Simon being her "love interest". Yes, she and Simon had been friends for years. And yes, Jeanette couldn't say she didn't have strong feelings for him. The only thing she was scared of was if he didn't feel the same. It was a common fear, Jeanette knew, but she worried how it would affect their friendship. With a pang of sadness, Jeanette realized they all must be worried sick. She had been gone for a full day, vanished without a trace. She wondered if they were looking for her. _Even if they are, I'm in the last place they'd search,_ she thought sadly before dropping into a troubled sleep.

o0o

Evening had stolen over the beach rather quickly, and before long Simon was the only one sitting in the sand. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair as he stared sadly at the sea.

"Simon, do you want something to eat?" a halfhearted voice behind him said. Simon turned to see Alvin, Theodore, Brittany, and Eleanor standing there.

Simon shook his head and turned back to the sea. His friends sat down next to him. They knew he was taking Jeanette's disappearance hard. They all were, of course, but Simon had a connection to Jeanette that the others didn't quite have.

"Where could she be?" he said quietly.

"The police station can't file a missing person report until they've been gone for 48 hours," Brittany said sourly.

For a while, everything was quiet except for the waves lapping the shore. Then, Simon's ear perked up. He didn't know if it was his imagination or not, but he could hear the softest tune being carried from the west on the breeze.

"Does anyone else hear that?"

Everyone stopped and listened. It was a haunting melody, soft, hypnotic, and somewhat seductive. After a full minute, Simon felt himself nodding off. His vision became blurry, and suddenly, he was walking down the beach. However, he couldn't feel his legs, or his feet, or anything for that matter. He tried to move his head, but nothing changed. Out the corner of his eye, he could see everyone else moving the same way. No matter how hard he tried, he had no control over his body whatsoever. He could do nothing except watch as his body walked down the beach. After a while, he saw something large and black towering over the bay.

As they reached it, Simon realized it was a cliff. There was an opening a little ways up, and before Simon knew it, he was climbing toward it, along with everyone else. They all dropped down into the cove. The second Simon's feet hit the sand again, he snapped out of his trance. He blinked and looked around confusedly. Everyone else did the same.

"What the heck just happened? Where are we?" Alvin said.

"I never knew this cove was here…" Simon added. They all took a few steps around. There was a yelp and the crunch of breaking glass. Simon held his foot, his face contorted in pain.

"Are you okay, Simon?" Theodore asked concernedly. Simon managed to pull a pained smile as he held his bleeding foot. Eleanor squinted at the ground, then knelt down and picked up what Simon had stepped on. She gaped at the object in shock.

"What is that?" Brittany asked. Eleanor held it out carefully for everyone to see. Simon gasped.

"These are…Jeanette's glasses…"

It was then that everyone noticed the haunting melody had stopped. For a moment there was silence. Then, without warning, all five chipmunks were swept into a net. Despite their struggle, they were pulled out of the cove. Simon wriggled around to see their captor, but could only see flashes of green. He noticed they were getting closer to the water. He held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut, prepared for the chill of the sea…

It never came.

Simon opened his eyes in surprise. They were clearly underwater, but were perfectly dry. What's more, they could breath. He looked at his startled friends, but his vision soon clouded as a strange vapor began to fill the net. He felt dizzy, and everything went black.

o0o

Simon groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He looked around once, blinked, and looked around again. It took a while for the truth to register in his mind. When it did, he sat up in shock. He was still in the net, along with all his friends. He watched as they came to one by one. Alvin was the first to speak.

"Ugh…what happened?"

"We're underwater." Simon replied.

"What? How?"

"I don't know…"

"You're here because I kidnapped you."

Everyone's eyes widened as they turned to see the new speaker. Entering the cave they were imprisoned in was a mermaid, her bright green tail swishing effortlessly through the water. Her emerald eyes glared at the five chipmunks, who were still thoroughly confused. She sneered at them, her hands on her hips. Brittany, who was quite irritated, shook the fabric of the net.

"What do you want from us?" The green-haired mermaid smirked.

"I guess you deserve an explanation. After all, it's the last thing you're going to hear."

"I brought you here because I'm going to kill you. Wait," she held up a finger to silence an outraged Brittany. "I'm going to kill you because I WILL get my revenge."

"What revenge? What did we ever do to you!" Alvin yelled angrily. The mermaid rolled her eyes.

"You boys did nothing. But you girls, you…Chipettes," she spat the word like it was something disgusting. "It took me ten years to regain my strength for this event. Now, you will all die!"

Theodore and Eleanor were quite frightened by now. Brittany rattled the net again.

"You didn't answer my question! What did we ever do to you!" she repeated. Again the mermaid sneered.

"Do you know who your grandfather was?" The Chipette fell silent. The mermaid swam closer. "It's story time."

"Many years ago, there was a merman named Marten. He was he was the most charming, handsome, wonderful merman in Oceana," the mermaid seemed lost in thought, her eyes sparkling. Then she continued her story. "All the mermaids loved him. And he had a wonderful fiancée, named Sherri." Here she pointed to herself. "We were so in love. But then he just HAD to visit the shore a week before our wedding," Sherri's face turned sour. "And it just so happened that a certain chipmunk was visiting the seaside. Of course, he was smitten, and left me for that miserable rat. As you can see, the product of that relationship is in our midst," she scowled at the Chipettes. Brittany and Eleanor stared at Sherri in shock.

"Are you saying our granddad…was a FISH!"

"A merman, he was a MERMAN!" the mermaid snapped. "And I spent so much time trying to find him. By the time I did, he had died of dehydration, and your mother was pregnant with you three. But she left you at an orphanage to protect you from me, thus getting herself killed."

"You killed our mom!"

"That's what I just said, didn't I? And now you'll die, too."

"But WHY!"

"Are you really that incompetent? You will not live because of what your mother did to me!" Sherri struck a dramatic pose. "During our final battle, she destroyed my magic. It took me forever, ten long years to regain my strength until…ta-da! I'm back, and killing you is my final revenge on her!"

"Wait…then why the heck are we here!" Alvin yelled. Sherri smiled so horribly that his anger was quickly buried by fear. Theodore scooted closer to his brothers.

"Oh, you're part of my revenge as well. Once that little brat, Jeanette, sees that all her friends are gone, I'll take all of her power. She has enough magic to control half of Oceana. How? Most of Marten's genes were passed to her instead of you two."

"So, we ARE part fish?"

"Yes. But Jeanette was the first to Awaken as a mermaid. When she touched a magical item belonging to a mermaid, her powers were released and she became tied to that object." Simon's mind flashed back to the comb from the beach. That was why it was so unusual; it was a mermaid's comb! The bespectacled chipmunk found his voice at last, and glared at the mermaid fiercely.

"Where's Jeanette!"

"Oh, don't worry your furry little head about her. She's somewhere in the city. But it's too late for you. Within two hours, the air in the net will run out, and you will suffocate quickly." Sherri rubbed her hands together with an evil smile.

Brittany held her head in her hands. This was too much to comprehend at once. One thing was certain – they were in big trouble.

o0o

Annalise almost dropped the mirror she was holding. She couldn't believe it. Sherri was holding Jeanette's friends captive! She had to know why. For several minutes, she eavesdropped on them while hiding behind a patch of coral. So Jeanette really WAS the product of that handsome merman Marten. Of course, Annalise had only been seven when she first met Marten, but he'd still been cute. Annalise grew more and more anxious as she listened. Sherri was going to kill Jeanette and all her friends! Annalise covered her mouth with her hand and quickly swam away. Jeanette was like a sister to her now. She couldn't let her die.

o0o

Jeanette gazed into the mirror sadly. Today was the day her powers would be taken. She would definitely miss this underwater paradise, but she couldn't wait to see her friends again. She ran a hand over the golden comb she had found with Simon. Simon…oh, how ready she was to see him again! She wrapped the comb in her scarf. Maybe she could at least keep that.

"Ugh. Where is Annalise? She should've been here ages ago." Ripple said, scowling. She and Annalise were supposed to take Jeanette to the Platform, where a ritual would be performed to remove her powers.

"Jeanette!"

Said Chipette looked up to see a frazzled Annalise swim through the doorway. Ripple glared at her.

"Where have you been? We should've left an hour ago-

"Sherri's got your friends!" Jeanette blinked.

"What?"

"Sherri! She was in love with your granddad, and she's hell-bent on revenge, and SHE WANTS TO KILL YOU! Come on, we gotta go save them! I'll explain on the way!" With that, Annalise grabbed Jeanette's wrist and pulled her out of the room. Ripple sighed loudly, then reluctantly followed.


	6. Chapter 6

The five chipmunks watched haplessly as Sherri swam to and fro, pulling bottles off of shelves and pouring various things into a cauldron. How she could do this underwater, they didn't know. According to the green-haired mermaid, they had 45 minutes of air left. It didn't help that they were all close to hyperventilating in the small space. Brittany had spent quite a while throwing insults at the mermaid, until the creature snapped.

"Will you SHUT UP! I don't care what you call me, but I can't make a potion in all this noise!"

"LET THEM GO, SHERRI!"

The green-haired mermaid turned in shock, but her expression quickly turned into a sneer.

"Well, well, well. Look who's come to play the hero. And just in time, too."

The captive chipmunks turned to see three mermaids, one in pink, one in blue, and one in purple, but with long, brunette hair. If Simon had not seen the comb in her scarf, he might not have recognized her.

"Jeanette!"

Everyone did a double-take at the brunette mermaid.

"Jeanette…oh my gosh!" Brittany said in awe.

"You're…you're a mermaid!" Eleanor stuttered. Jeanette swam over, delighted to see her sisters again. But her joy was short-lived.

"Gotcha!"

Jeanette yelped as Sherri grabbed her hair and pulled her away. Her friends cried in outrage.

"Let her go!"

"Get your slimy hands off my sister!"

Sherri paid no attention to them. She grabbed a knife from the shelf. Everyone's hearts seemed to stop with fear. Sherri raised the knife, and nicked Jeanette's arm. She screamed in pain, and was thrown aside by Sherri, but luckily caught by Annalise. Sherri let a drop of Jeanette's blood fall into the cauldron, then ran the knife over her own skin. Her blood fell in as well, and the cauldron's contents bubbled violently.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She exclaimed gleefully. Then she turned back to Jeanette. The mer-Chipette was being fussed over by her friends.

"Jeanette, are you okay?"

"We were so worried!"

"We've gotta get out of here!"

Jeanette felt overwhelmed. Before she could reply to anyone, Sherri grabbed her arm.

"Give me the comb!"

"What!"

"The comb! Give it to me!"

Jeanette winced as Sherri's grip on her arm tightened.

"L-let me go!"

Sherri tugged at her again, then yelped as she was rammed into the wall by Ripple. With a yelp of rage, she and the blue-haired mermaid began to fight. Jeanette and Annalise were frantically searching the shelves for something to cut the enchanted net, as the remaining Chipmunks and Chipettes were running out of air quickly. Annalise found a small orange vial, and nodded in satisfaction when she read the label. Jeanette found a nail file, and started on the net. Before she cut all the way through, however, Annalise stopped her.

"You guys, this is mortlase. One drop will help you breathe underwater. Here," she said, pushing through the net. The five chipmunks looked at Annalise uncertainly, but Jeanette urged them to hurry. Brittany was the last to swallow a drop, and just before the net filled up with water.

Brittany's eyes widened in shock as she breathed in. She didn't choke or gag; none of them did. Their attention was averted, however, when a loud explosion rippled the water around them. They saw a dazed Ripple half-floating in the water. She had been flung into a shelf, and various potions had fallen, causing the explosion. Annalise shrieked and swam over to her friend. Sherri swam over to Jeanette, who shrank away in fear.

"Don't touch her."

Jeanette looked up to see her friends around her. They looked determined, with a hint of nervousness. Simon was in front of her, glaring at Sherri fiercely. Realization hit Jeanette full force. Sherri was the face she'd seen that day on the beach. Sherri was the mermaid who'd kidnapped her. Another thought occurred to her: she had passed out after transforming into a mermaid, so why hadn't Sherri just done away with her then?

This question was pushed to the back of her mind as Sherri's bright green eyes flickered with malice. She saw Simon tense, but he stayed in front of her. Jeanette wanted to embrace him; he was so brave! Was this what love felt like? Jeanette decided that it was. She felt the decision was quite bold, but in her heart it just felt…right.

"Swim aside, you little rodent," Sherri's voice interrupted her thoughts. The evil mermaid was speaking to Simon. "Or do you want your death to come early? I have no real interest in you, besides the fact that you're a pawn in my plans."

"I won't let you hurt Jeanette," Simon spoke defiantly, not letting his fear show. Sherri snarled, and knocked him out of the way. He tried to pull her back, but she swished her tail violently, sending him into the wall. Alvin cried in outrage and lunged at the mermaid. Jeanette screamed and began to swim to Simon, but Sherri grabbed her hair and yanked the comb out. She dodged Alvin's blow and threw the comb at the cauldron. It landed inside, and the ocean shuddered.

Colorful plumes of dust and loud eruptions filled the sea. Annalise swam over with the revived Ripple, looking horrified. The 'munks and 'ettes bore the same expression. Simon snapped out of his daze, much to the relief of everyone. Sherri, however, was at the cauldron, cackling horribly.

"Yes, yes, YES!" she exclaimed as magic surrounded her. Then she gasped and doubled over in pain. Jeanette screamed as pain shot up her nerves and consumed her senses. She writhed around and clenched her eyes shut, thus unaware of the frightened expressions of her friends. The magic from the cauldron erupted in glowing sparks that heated the water immensely. The pain slowly subsided, and Jeanette opened her eyes slightly. She gasped at what she saw.

Sherri had transformed into some sort of sea monster. Her tail had grown long and spiky, but it was still green. Scales covered every inch of her skin, from her hands to her face. Her nails were now sharp as hawk talons, and her teeth like gleaming nails. Her piercing green eyes glowed with more malice than ever before. Her green hair fanned out like seaweed. The golden mermaid's comb floated in front of her, glowing a blinding yellow.

"At last! Enough power to rule over everything!" she screamed maniacally, her voice scratchy and low.

Jeanette was horrified. She turned to her friends.

"What do we do?" she screamed in panic. Annalise looked up at Sherri.

"We HAVE to stop her! She could destroy the entire ocean!"

"But how?" Brittany looked up at Sherri as well. Her eyes focused on the glowing comb.

"Would something happen if we got rid of the comb?" Ripple shook her head.

"It would work, but it would hurt Jeanette too. When Sherri took some of her blood, they both became tied to the comb. It holds all of their magic."

Jeanette stared at the comb. She took a deep breath and put on her most determined face. Then she turned to address everyone.

"We can't let her destroy the ocean. You guys get to somewhere safe; I'll get the comb." Everyone looked at her in shock.

"But Jeanette-

"We have to do SOMETHING!"

Everyone looked at her worriedly. Annalise then spoke.

"I'm going with you."

Jeanette looked at her friend gratefully. Simon spoke up as well.

"I'm coming, too."

"Simon…"

"I can't lose you again."

He said the last part quietly, but everyone heard it. Jeanette felt her eyes water, and she hugged Simon warmly. A chorus of "awww"s made them blush. Jeanette cleared her throat.

"Right. We've got to stop her." Ripple pointed upward.

"You better hurry, then. She's headed for Oceana!"

Everyone looked up to see that the mermaid was right. Jeanette turned back to her friends.

"You guys get to somewhere safe." Ripple nodded.

"We'll go back to shore."

Jeanette and her friends embraced each other quickly. As they swam away, Ripple called after them.

"You guys better get back here in one piece!" Annalise smiled.

"Good old Ripple…"


	7. Chapter 7

Marjorie swam back and forth with a stern expression on her features. She had heard the various explosions and mini-earthquakes from the direction of Sherri's cove. A messenger had come quickly to alert her that some sort of scaly creature was making its way toward the city. This pressed them for time. An evacuation was already in process, but there were so many living things in Oceana, it would be extremely difficult to save everyone.

"Your Majesty, three-fourths of the city has been evacuated," a messenger merman with chocolate-brown hair and a red tail came to the Queen's door. "At this rate, most of the city will be safe by the time it reaches us."

"Most isn't good enough Dairen," Marjorie said patiently. "I want all my people out of this city alive."

"We try to hasten them, but they are all too preoccupied with saving their possessions," Dairen frowned. It was true; mermaids were often quite affectionate about their personal items. But this is an emergency! Marjorie felt like screaming. However, she maintained her composure and stared at Dairen grimly. She spoke in an uncharacteristically icy tone.

"Tell them that anyone hanging around to save material things will be punished severely."

o0o

Jeanette and her friends swam toward the city as fast as their fins and legs would allow. Simon was being half-pulled, as his kicks weren't as effective as the swish of the mermaids' tails. Annalise saw hundreds of mer-people flooding from the city, looking panicked. She sighed. At least the people would be safe.

"There!"

Simon pointed at Sherri, who was starting toward the castle. The comb was enclosed in her fist.

"We need to get her to open her hand somehow!" Jeanette said. Annalise screwed up her face for a moment.

"I know! Simon, you and I can create a diversion while Jeanette gets the comb!"

"Good idea, Anna! Okay, I'll go over there," Jeanette pointed to a space behind some coral. "And you two distract her. She'll put the comb down to fight, and I'll grab it then. You just give me a signal."

"What kind of signal?"

"Um, just go like this." Jeanette waved her hands around wildly. Her friends almost laughed.

"What was that?" Annalise giggled. Jeanette sighed.

"Just do it, please?"

"Okay, okay, let's go, Simon."

Annalise and Simon swam in the direction of the giant Sherri. Jeanette swam over to the rock and curled up, peeking out at her friends. She saw Annalise pick up a heavy-looking rock.

"Hey, scale skin! Over here!" Annalise hurled the big stone at Sherri, catching her on the back. The sea monster turned around with a look of annoyance. She spied Annalise and Simon, who were doing a strange dance to taunt her. Sherri growled and swiped at them, but they moved just in time. They swam around, grabbing rocks and throwing them at the sea witch. Simon zeroed in on Sherri's eye. He threw the stone precisely, and Sherri yelped in pain as it penetrated her cornea. She raised her hands, dropping the comb. Simon waved his arms wildly. Jeanette gathered her courage and darted out, grabbing the comb with one hand.

Sherri opened her good eye just in time to see Jeanette snatch the comb. She roared in fury and swiped at the mer-Chipette, but missed. Jeanette swam back to the rock she had hid behind.

"Stop destroying Oceana!" she cried. Sherri laughed at her. It was a deep, rumbling sound that made Jeanette tremble, but she set her jaw defiantly.

"Stop it or I'll…I'll…I'll break it!" she held the comb threateningly over the rock. Sherri glowered with rage. She snatched up the inattentive Simon and Annalise with one swipe of her hand. She squeezed them, making them gasp and choke. Jeanette scowled.

"Let them go!" she screamed. Sherri just laughed again.

"You're not the only one who can make a threat!" she said, squeezing Jeanette's dear friends tighter. "Give me that comb or I'll squeeze the life out of your little friends!"

Simon mouth opened and closed rapidly as he tried to get air. Annalise's face was quickly turning purple. She saw Jeanette's facial expression turn uncertain.

"No, Jeanette!" she choked out.

Jeanette looked at her friends worriedly. Despite Annalise's cries, she gripped the comb with both hands. She felt power, the source of her magic, course through her. A tingling confidence surged through her nerves. She held the comb out to Sherri. Before the sea witch could make a move, Jeanette slammed the comb on the rock, sending golden shards everywhere.


	8. Chapter 8

Sherri released a soul-shattering scream and released Annalise and Simon. She writhed in agony, her body glowing a sickly green color. The light began to crack her skin open; it poured from her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and from in between her scales. The rocks and pillars surrounding them trembled violently. Annalise and Simon ducked for cover. Sherri howled in rage and pain before exploding in a shower of green light and sharp scales.

Annalise peeked out from the rock she and Simon had hid behind. A broad smile lit up her face. She looked around wildly for Jeanette.

"Jeanette! You did it! WE did it! Sherri's gone!" she cried. Simon frowned and looked around. Something wasn't right.

"Jeanette? Where are you?" he called. Annalise joined in. She swam around the crumbling pillars, her pretty face crinkled with worry. She rounded a corner and gasped.

"Simon! Simon, come help me!' she yelled.

Simon was met with the same unsettling sight. There, behind the pillar, floated Jeanette. She was unconscious, and looked frightfully pale. Breaking the comb had had more or less the same effect on her as it had on Sherri. However, she had not glowed green, nor had she exploded. Simon reached out and shook her delicately. She didn't respond, and her body was terribly cold.

"You must get her to land quickly," an urgent voice called from behind them. They turned to see Marjorie with a grim expression.

"Your Highness!" Annalise said in surprise. Simon looked at both mermaids in confusion. Marjorie swam closer and examined Jeanette.

"Come, we must get her to shore." She swam ahead while Simon and Annalise carried Jeanette.

o0o

Ripple had led everyone else back to shore, where they had run into a very harried Dave. It took quite a while to explain everything to him. He would've thought this was a dream, had he not encountered a werewolf before. Therefore, he knew that magical creatures did exist. They had been waiting anxiously for the others' return for a good thirty minutes. Alvin gave a cry of excitement when he saw something swimming toward them.

Ripple gasped and bowed her head as Marjorie broke the surface.

"Your Highness, what are you doing here?" she asked. The others tilted their heads in confusion. Marjorie looked toward them.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Marjorie, queen of Oceana." Everyone gave a little "oh" of clarification. Then they looked around uncomfortably, not knowing whether or not to bow. Marjorie turned back to Ripple.

"I have come because Jeanette is in grave danger," she said. Everyone gave a little gasp. Brittany nearly lunged at the sea queen.

"What! Where is she?" she cried. As if on cue, Annalise and Simon popped their heads up out of the water. Simon walked on carrying Jeanette bridal style, as Annalise couldn't go as far with a tail. He gently laid her on the sand and kneeled beside her.

"What's wrong with her!" Eleanor cried. Simon was trying his hardest to act composed. Marjorie began to explain.

"She broke the comb, thus destroying Sherri. You see, the comb was Sherri's to begin with. She was permanently attached to it, so when it broke, she was killed. However, Jeanette was also attached to it, as the comb was the first mermaid item she'd come in contact with. But as it was never hers originally, the bond was weaker. Yet that weak bond was enough for her to gain magic from the comb, so when it broke it affected her as well. If something is not done, she will die." Here everyone gasped. "The only option is to take away her mermaid powers entirely. This means that she won't be able to come back to Oceana, however."

Annalise bit her lip. Over the course of everything that had happened, Jeanette had become the little sister she'd never had. It would definitely be sad to never see her again. But if nothing was done, she'd die.

"We must take her powers," she said. "We can't let her die." Marjorie nodded in agreement.

"Yes. Please step back, everyone, and bring Jeanette closer."

Simon picked up Jeanette and placed her closer to Marjorie. The sea queen closed her eyes in concentration. She waved her hands over Jeanette's body: first her head, then her lungs, then her tail. Suddenly, Jeanette's body began to glow a faint purple. Her tail glowed brightest. Everyone watched in amazement as her tail began to separate into legs, and her fins molded into feet. The glowing began to fade. Marjorie opened her eyes and dropped her hands.

Everyone watched Jeanette anxiously. Her fingers began to twitch. A small sound escaped her throat, then she began to cough. Marjorie tilted Jeanette's head to the side as seawater was expelled from her lungs. When she had coughed up everything, her breathing regulated. Ever so slowly, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was Simon standing a little ways off.

"Si…mon…" she said weakly. The bespectacled chipmunk's face lit up with relief. He fought the urge to embrace her, and instead took her hand.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered softly. Jeanette slowly sat up, rubbing her head.

"What…happened?" she asked. It was then that she noticed Annalise, Ripple, and Marjorie. She gasped and bowed quickly before the queen. Then she looked at her mermaid friends.

"Anna, what happened? Did we beat Sherri?" Annalise smiled.

"YOU beat Sherri, Jeanette." Annalise sighed. "I'm gonna miss you."

"What?" Jeanette was confused. She then noticed that her tail was gone. "My powers…" she gasped as realization hit her. "Oh, Anna…"

The pink-haired mermaid gave Jeanette a big hug. When she pulled back, her eyes were shiny.

"Jeanette, you're such a great friend. I won't forget you." Annalise elbowed Ripple, who had been staring into space.

"Ow!" she protested. Then she turned to Jeanette. "I guess you're pretty good friend. I never really got to know you," she said. Jeanette shook her head and hugged the blue-paired mermaid. Ripple sighed but hugged back.

Finally, Jeanette turned to Marjorie. The regal mermaid smiled, and Jeanette looked down.

"Thank you, Your Highness," she mumbled. Marjorie laughed, filling the air with the sound of tinkling bells.

"Not at all, Jeanette. Thank you for saving my kingdom," she replied. "Speaking of which, I must depart. There are many things I must take care of."

Jeanette smiled, and to her surprised delight, the queen gave her a hug. The three mermaids smiled and waved before wading into the ocean. The 'munks and 'ettes waved back.

"Goodbye! I won't forget you!" Jeanette called. A pink tail broke the surface for just a moment.

o0o

That evening, Jeanette sat on the beach. She watched the orange waves lap the shore. She breathed deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs.

"What and adventure," Simon said as he sat down beside her. Jeanette smiled at him.

"It really is a magical place," Jeanette said. "There's so much life down there. I will miss them," she said quietly, referring to her mermaid friends. Simon subtly scooted closer.

"Thank you, Simon." The bespectacled chipmunk looked up.

"What for?"

"For helping me. For protecting me. For just…being there for me," Jeanette stared into his grey-blue eyes. he stared back into her green ones. Their eyes both fluttered closed as they closed the space between their lips. Sparks seemed to fly from their hearts. They eventually broke the kiss, and sat together, watching the setting sun.

Yes, they both realized. It was definitely love.

o0o

**There you have it! The final chapter to Shimmer Tail. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. You guys rock!**

**~Smiley :)**


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